News

Research performed in the Ethiopian highlands by SAGE scientists Michael Eggen and Mutlu Ozdogan shows that even in years with above average rainfall, crops can be severely reduced by drought early in the growing season, when seeds must sprout and get established. The research was published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

January 08, 2019Jonathan Patz Interviewed on WPR - Why Climate Change Is A Major Public Health Issue

Climate change has major consequences for public health. According to the 2015 Global Burden of Disease Report, air pollution causes approximately 7 million premature deaths per year. Our guest was a lead author for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for over a decade. Dr. Patz explains the connection between climate change and human health.

December 20, 2018Congratulations to the newest Ph.D. in SAGE and EAP - Dr. David Abel!

David's thesis is entitled "Understanding Linkages between the Power Sector, Air Quality, and Human Health" and his advisor is Dr. Tracey Holloway.

December 11, 2018David Abel PhD Defense

All are welcome and encouraged to attend David Abel's PhD defense on Thursday, December 20th at 10:00 am in Room 1115 at the Wisconsin Energy Institute. David's dissertation is titled "Understanding Linkages between the Power Sector, Air Quality, and Human Health". He will discuss his research quantifying the potential role of energy-sector policies and technologies in promoting air quality and public health within the context of climate change.

December 06, 2018NASA Extends Support for HAQAST

Tracey Holloway will lead the Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team, NASA's investment in leveraging satellite data for air quality monitoring, through 2020.

“The NASA The NASA Applied Sciences Program, after consultation with NASA Earth Science Division leadership, has decided to extend the period of performance of the NASA Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team (HAQAST) by one additional year through Summer 2020. This decision was made in recognition of the outstanding work of HAQAST over the past two years, through expanding the environmental health and airquality management community and increasing the use of NASA data and tools for societal benefit.

Led by Tracey Holloway (U. of Wisconsin-Madison), HAQAST includes a group of thirteen air quality and public health scientists, representing public and private research universities, as well as federal agencies from across the country. The current portfolio focuses on several important issues related to US air quality and environmental health, including the continuing eruption of Kilauea in Hawaii and summer and fall wildfires in California. Additionally, HAQAST Tiger Teams were funded in 2017 and 2018 as short-term, high-impact collaborative effort between HAQAST members and public stakeholders to identify and solve critical health and air quality problems using NASA data and products.

This additional year of service will allow HAQAST to continue addressing these environmental health and air quality needs, along with other quick-turnaround, high priority projects, and will permit further cutting edge applications for societal benefit.”

December 05, 2018Seth Spawn to Present and Defend his M.S. Thesis

“Carbon Emissions from Cropland Expansion in the United States”

2pm, Friday, Dec 7, 1115 Wisconsin Energy Institute

December 03, 2018Recipients of the Air Quality Research Award Announced

Congratulations to Matilyn Bindl and Mandankui (Tao-ma) Tao who received the first-ever SAGE Undergraduate Air Quality Research Award!

"The urgency of curbing fossil fuel consumption is abundantly clear if we hope to avoid catastrophic disruption of the earth’s climate system. At the same time, accelerating rates of chronic disease are inextricably linked to our use of fossil fuels to generate power and for transportation. Reducing our use of fossil fuels will lead to a healthier, flourishing society. And this change just might be the greatest health advance in our lifetimes."